scott



No. 626,!92. Fix-tamed May 30, I899. G. E. SCOTT.

SHEET MUSIC BACK AND LEAF TURNER.

(Application filed Sept. 14, 1897.),

(No Model.)

m: uonms PETERS co. wwo'rourna, WASHINGTON, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. SCOTT, OF INDEPENDENCE, IOXVA, ASSIGNOR TO MARY B. SCOTT, OF SAME PLACE.

SHEET-MUSIC RACK AND LEAF-TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,192, dated May 30, 1899. Application filed September 14, 1897. Serial N0. 651,698. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. SCOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Independence, in the county of Buchanan, in the State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Music Racks and Sheet-Music-Leaf Turners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference letters and numerals wherever they occur throughout both views, Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the entire invention. Fig. 2 is a view of upper side of plate 4, showing turning-arms and attachments to better advantage than they are shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the parts by. reference letters and numerals, 1 represents an oblong plate, preferably of metal, placed horizontally and located on the sill or base of the music-rack of piano or other instrument, with its long sides running parallel with the length of the instrument.

2 2 represent duplicate clamping shafts or posts, preferably of heavy Wire, whose lower ends are firmly joined to plate 1 at a a. These clamping-posts rise vertically from plate 1 and then run horizontally, each toward the other, and then again vertically, their vertical tops standing perhaps one-eighth of an inch apart. The tops of these clamping-posts are perforated, one of the perforations being supplied with threads for screws. In these perforations is placed thumb set-screw O. The purpose of this thumb-screw is to clamp the top ends of 2 2 at will and furnish a means for the adjustment of 3 and its attachments, to be hereinafter described.

4 represents a thin oblong metal plate placed horizontally, its longer sides running parallel with the long side of the instrument. One of the entire long sides of 4 is turned vertically to the height of an inch or more to form a back. The center of this back and the back edge of the plate to the right of the center of its long side are out out sufficiently to prevent interference with the movements of other parts of the mechanism.

5 represents a thin, narrow, and slightlyconcave metal central vertical nprigh t, whose lower end is supplied with feet standing obliquely, which are firmly joined to the vertical back of 4 at (Z cl. The purpose of this central upright is to furnish a support for the center of the back of sheet-music.

7 represents a small serrated oblong metal plate placed horizontally, its long sides running parallel with the short sides of piano or organ, and is joined by the edge of one of its short sides to the top of 5 at h. The serrations of this plate are in line with the long center of 5.

9 represents a spring-wire placed horizontally and parallel with the vertical back of 4, to which it is joined by one of its ends at f. The other end of 9 passes somewhat beyond the center of the long side of 4 and serves as a pivot for the lower end of 6.

6 represents a central vertical pressing-rod, preferably of heavy wire, and is located so as to rise parallel with the center of 5, against which it presses. The lower end of 6 is perforated to admit the unattached end of 9 at e, on which it works as a pivot. The top end of 6 is inserted in one of the serrations of 7. When the music is placed in the rack, its center is placed between 5 and 6, 9 allowing 6 to be sprung back at its lower end sufficiently to admit sheet-music of any thickness, and when the top end of 6 is inserted in one of the serrations of 7 the music is held firmly in the position desired.

8 8 represent duplicate Wires placed horizontally with their length running parallel with the long side of a piano or organ and are joined to the back of 5 at i i. The purpose of these wires is to prevent the leaves of music when placed in the rack from falling back out of position.

10 represents a small slotted metal oblong plate placed horizontally, with its long sides and slot running parallel with the short side of piano or organ and firmly joined by the edge of one of its short sides to 5 at g. On this plate rests the lower center of sheet-music, the slot of the plate allowing 6, which passes through it, to be sprung back from 5.

j is a vertical metal post or pivot located at the back edge of plate 4 at. the center of the long side of the plate and firmly attached to the plate at its lower end.

at represents a metal post or pivot (duplicate ofj) depending from the under side of plate 4:, to which it is joined by one of its ends. This post is located near the front edge of plate 4 and at the center of the long side of the plate.

11 represents a horizontal metal turningarm, one end of which is slightly curved and perforated to admit rivet 7a, which connects this end of the turning-arm with 12, presently to be described, and serves these connecting parts as a pivot. A second perforation is made in this arm near the curved end to admit postj, on which the turning-arm works as a pivot from right to left and from left to right semicirculary and describing in its movements the turning of a sheet of music. Attached to the other or longer end of this turning-arm is a vertical spring-clamp 14-. The purpose of let is to firmly grasp and hold the lower end of a sheet of music when placed in the rack parallel with turning-arm 11 while this arm makes its revolution.

12 represents a small curved metal connecting plate or elbow placed horizontally and perforated at each end. One end 'of 12 is connected by rivet 7; with the curved end of turning-arm, as described, and the other end with 13 by rivet Z, on which these connecting ends work as a pivot.

13 represents a horizontal metal sliding or operating finger located at the under side of plate t, its length being parallel with the short sides of the plate. 13 is perforated at a point underneath plate 4 to admit postm, 011 which the finger is pivoted. The ends of 13 protrude beyond 4, the end which connects with 12 being curved back along the upper side of the finger and perforated to admit rivet Z, which connects and pivots 12 and 13, as described. The other or front protruding end of this finger is curved downward and outward, terminating in the loops 15, to prevent turning-arm 11, when carrying the leafaround, from striking the finger of the performer.

11, 12, and 13 are duplicated and as many of them placed in position as desired, the

curved end in each duplicate 13 at the end uniting with 12 being arranged to pass behind the one which precedes it.

3 represents a slotted metal oblong adj usting-plate placed vertically and joined by one of its long edges to the back of 5 at o. The slot in 3 runs parallel with its long sides. The unattached long edge of 3 is inserted between the top ends of clamping-posts 2 2 atb, thumbscrew 0 passing through its slot. By means of this slotted plate 3, 4t,with all of its attachments, can be lifted above plate 1 and placed at any angle desired, where it will be firmly held by turning thumb-screw O, which will clamp the tops of clamping-posts 2 2 against the side of the plate 3.

ger 13 to work between it and the plate. The purpose of n is to slightly clamp the sliding finger against the plate 4 when a leaf has been turned, so as to prevent the leaf turning at an improper time. n is duplicated for each additional arm added.

The operation of my device is as follows: The device is placed upon the music-rack of instrument. Then by means of thumb set-screw O and the slot in plate 3 at b that part of the device which holds and turns the music is placed at any distance from plate 1 and at any angle that the performer may desire the music to rest. The top of central pressing-rod 6 is then released from the serrations of 7 and sprung back at its lower end. The sheetmusic is then opened and placed with its center between 5 and 0, and the top of dis again inserted in one of the serrations of 7. music thus placed is held firmly in position. The leaves of the music are then turned to the right, and the lower end of each leaf is inserted in a spring-clamp 14 at the end of the turning-arm 11. hen the performer desires to turn the leaf, he has but to strike the front protruding end of 13 from right to left a distance of two inches and the leaf is instantly turned. If he desires to turn the leaf back to its former position, it is only necessary for him to strike the end of 13 from left to right. By this leaf-turning arrangement of my invention a leaf of sheet-music may be turned in either direction as easily and quickly as a key on the piano or organ may be struck.

Having thus described my invention and its mode of operation, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters of Patent, is-

1. A sheet-music rack and sheet-music-leaf turner having two oblong horizontal plates placed one above the other, the lower plate resting on the sill of a music-rack of a piano or organ and serving as a base for the device, the upper plate having an incised vertical back and serving as an attachment-point for other parts of the mechanism; a pair of horizontal spreading arms pivoted on a post attached to the upper side of the lower plate and designed to hold the plate firmly in position on the instrument; a pair of vertical clamping-posts attached at their lower ends to the upper side of the lower horizontal plate perforated at the top for a thumb setscrew which pierces the perforations; a vertical, concaved, elongated, central upright with oblique or diagonal feet at the lower end and joined to the vertical back of the upper horizontal plate, designed as support for the center of the back of sheet-music; a vertical, oblong, slotted, adj usting-plate pivoted on the thumb set-screw between the tops of the clamping-posts, and joined at one of its long edges to the vertical back of the central upright, designed to connect the upper and lower horizontal plates and permit the upper plate with its attachments to be placed at any angle and at any distance desired above The ICC

IIO

the lower plate; a vertical elongated central pressing-rod placed parallel with the center of the vertical central upright, its lower end being pivoted on a horizontal spring-wire, and designed to press the center of the sheetmusic firmly against the vertical central upright; a serrated horizontal oblong plate attached to the top of the central vertical upright and designed to receive the upper end of the vertical central pressing-rod; a pair of horizontal wires attached to the back of the vertical central upright near its long center, and designed to prevent the leaves of sheet-music from falling back out of position; a horizontal slotted plate joined to the vertical central upright at the intersection of its oblique feet, and designed to serve as a rest or platform for the lower center of the sheet-music and as a support for the lower end of the vertical central pressing-rod which passes through its slot preventing the rod from tipping sidewise when released at its top from the serrated plate; one or more horizontal turning-arms pivoted near one end on the post attached to the upper side of the upper horizontal plate, supplied at its longer end with a vertical sprin g-clam p, and pivoted at its shorter end to the end of the connecting-elbow designed to carry around the sheet of music; a horizontal connecting-elbow pivoted at one end to the shorter end of each turning-arm and at the other end to the end of an operating-finger, and designed to connect the turning-arm with the operating-finger and to permit the connecting ends to move freely; a horizontal sliding finger curved and pivoted at one end to the end of each connecting-elbow pivoted also near its center on the post attached to the under side of the upper horizontal plate, and designed through its connection with the connecting-elbow and the turningarm to move the turning-arm from right to left and from left to right; an elongated horizontal plate attached at either end to the lower side of the upper horizontal plate near its front long edge and designed to prevent the sliding finger from moving at improper times; a horizontal spring-wire attached at one end to the vertical back of the upper horizontal plate and passing through the lower end of the vertical central pressing-rod, designed as a pivot and a spring for the lower end of the pressing-rod.

2. A sheet-music rack having two horizontal plates two vertical posts attached at their lower ends to the upper side of the lower horizontal plate, their upper ends being perforated; a thumb set-screw placed in the perforations of the vertical clamping-posts, and a vertical plate bearing the upper horizontal plate and operating devices, the vertical plate having a slot through which the set-screw passes.

3. A sheet-music rack having two horizontal plates a vertical slotted plate joined by one of its edges to a central upright carrying the upper horizontal plate and placed between the tops of two vertical clamping-posts secured to the lower plate, a thumb-screw in the tops of the posts passing through the slot of the vertical plate, this single-screw connection, serving to regulate both the height and inclination of the upper horizontal plate.

GEO. E. SCOTT.

\Vitnesses:

LINCOLN BoWDER, E. B. CLINTON. 

